“Well, yeah. We thought, you’ve got the day off, you could have a chat and see if he lives up to his name.”
I ended the call, putting it back into my pocket and ignoring it when it rang again. I sat down on the couch, my fingers digging into my skull. Ash knew I was crushing bad on Merlin before the Damorican trip, yet she… I swallowed hard, my head feeling overly full and spacey all at the same time. I blinked, my eyes beginning to burn.
“I assume it was not you that summoned me.”
“No,” I said, wiping my nose and straightening up. “I apologise, really. Ash gets these ideas sometimes. I don’t know what she was thinking.”
“Probably a combination of self-interest and altruism, like most people.” His eyes dropped to my arm, where they widened slightly at the sight of my very red dragon tattoo. “Well, I’m here now. Tell me about the adventures you’ve had since the last time I saw you.”
“You don’t want to know,” I said.
“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” he said, turning when M padded back into the shop. Obviously, he’d decided I needed privacy and had slept in the storeroom. “You’ve got a new dog for one.” Merlin’s spine straightened and he frowned as M drew closer. He peered closer at the dog, “Well, well, what do we have here?” He flicked his fingers wide, familiar green squiggles appearing in the air between them. His hand went to his chin as he looked closely at the Words, his eyes glancing from Miazydar, then to me. Seemingly satisfied, he dismissed the Words with a hand and turned to me. “A dragon posing as a dog? That spell of your grandmother’s is positively fascinating. So, what else has been happening?”
“Look, I have to go to Damorica and let Miazydar spread his wings today. Perhaps we could debrief another day?”
“A trip through the Damorican portal seems like just the thing. Shall we go?”
I had meant only me and my dragon, but could I bring myself to tell the foremost Western magician to piss off? No, I couldn’t. He made comments on my form and motion as I opened the portal, some complimentary, some not. I nodded, everyone seemed to have something to say about everything all of a sudden, and walked into the bright light of Bordertown.
“Morning, Mistress Tess,” a tall deer-like creature said as we passed.
“Mistress Ember, I brought these for the kids,” I said, digging out a couple of plastic army men from the Damorican bag I kept ready for when I travelled through the portal.
“Fawns, mistress. It’s Fanny that has kids.”
“Right, sorry, it’s an Earth thing. We call all children kids.”
“Well, they’ll be delighted to add to their collection. They’ve damned near played the other two you gave them to pieces.”
I smiled, “I’ll bring more next time.”
“This is Bordertown, isn’t it? A handy place for a portal. Close to the markets and the merchants,” Merlin said, looking around.
“Yep, now I’ve got to go to Natty’s for a second, so stay here.” He looked quite confused to be told what to do, but I just went up to the blue-painted door and knocked.
“Hey Tess! Hey Miazydar!” I felt better as soon as I saw Natty’s delighted expression, his ears swivelling wildly, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me into a brisk hug. “How’s it goin’? Where the Sariahan grape skins what your customer was looking for?” He let me go and dropped down to give my dragon a scratch on his chest.
“Yes! Better than what they were used to, so we might need to try and set something up with the nomads there. I know they can only collect it at the oases but…” I smacked myself in the forehead. “I’m not here to talk business. We’re going for a fly and I wanted to drop these off.” I pulled out a crackling packet of double-coat Tim Tams and his smile went wide.
“You spoil me! I want to eat them one at a time, make the packet last, but when you have that first one…”
“Something I’m well aware of! That’s why I’m giving them to you, your metabolism can take it.”
“So you two are off for a fly?”
“Yes, it’s been too long,” Miazydar said with a shake.
“You don’t want to come?” I said.
“Sorry, but never again after that last time. Miazydar really saved our bacon, but urgh,” he clutched at his belly, “once was well and truly enough. Drop in on your way home. There’s been some news that might be useful.”
“A change in the government? Are they finally reducing the tariffs?”
“Come back, have a coffee. Miazydar can do a sweep of the city, make sure Gump and the like know that McKinnon and McKinnon have the support of dragonkind.” My dragon just panted, looking like he was grinning at the idea.
When we made it out into the town square, Miazydar let go of his disguise, a flurry of gasps and shouts coming as he stretched. It didn’t cause quite the uproar that it had, people had begun to get used to seeing the red dragon appear each weekend. We had the support of the government after getting rid of what was left of the royal family. I admired the brilliant gleam of his red scales as I came closer, placing my hand on his shoulder, his great head turning to look at me as I climbed onto his back. I took my seat in between one of the big spikes. “Well,” I said to Merlin, “you coming?”
Miazydar launched himself into the air with little flurry and a squeak from Merlin. I watched his great wings beat, pushing us higher and higher before he stabilised. I pulled the safety goggles from my bag over my eyes and wound my scarf around my face, leaning in.